Switched: Kanto
by Z. Bridgett
Summary: This would never happen back home. I would be blissfully unaware of the life outside my country. Everything in my life, mapped out, stress free. This place, we were taught, was nonexistant. I should not be here. Yet I am. Alone. -Lydia Averell
1. Chapter 1

In the country of my birth, everyone has a Pokémon. Before one is born, an aura reader and his or her Riolu match up the fetus' aura to an identical aura of a Pokémon egg. The aura reader does not know where the egg came from, but much more often than not, it is from the baby's parents' Pokémon. Because the unborn's aura has not grown, and most likely will never grow, into a solid color, it is usually a mutation of the two colors. I have never heard of anyone with just one complete color. Same goes for Pokémon.

The Pokémon will hatch around the time the baby is born. The Pokémon's type, personality, and nature are said to mirror the baby's own. Since Pokémon are more active at a younger age, government specialists monitor the Pokémon for about a week, then they have the baby's life mapped out. In the north, if a Cubchoo was born, then the baby could be a rescuer to people trapped in avalanches. If it was a Starly, then the baby could be a flight attendant. No one complains about his or her station.

The only things not planned for are sickness and death. Most people are not worried about the former; we have doctors for both Pokémon and people. Last year, my Oddish, Maddelina, caught a bad flu, resulting in her hospitalization. From what I noticed of the other rainbow-haired people, I was the only one who cared about the health of my Pokémon instead of just setting her aside in a basket. I gained the attention of a green-haired man, but not any of the doctors or nurses with their Audinos and Happinys.

The structured lifestyle the government created for us made it to where death only comes to those who attained a great age. My family is an outlier; my mother died when I was born. I was raised by governesses and au pairs due to my father's hectic job in the government. He is a regulator of laws against Pokémon fighting and owning more than one Pokémon, both laws punishable with a hefty fine. He does not talk about my mother. I think Maddelina makes him sad; he has a Treecko.

Every night he is home though, we bond. We watch the cartoon of a person who was turned into a Pokémon by going back in time to save the future from eternal darkness brought on by Pokémon called "Dialga" and "Dusknor." I get excited when it is on, but by the time I go to bed, I remind myself that it is just a fake cartoon. Time travel and fake Pokémon do not exist.

There was exactly one month left of school when I turned ten. Nothing special was planned. The only thing unordinary about the day was that my father was at home when I woke up and was still there when I came back from education. I was wary, thinking that he was fired. He denied my speculation, instead telling me he took a vacation day. He slaved the day preparing a cake, oddly enough. Usually, we go out to eat.

My governess told me when I was younger that I would learn my place in life when I turned ten and should start my occupation once school finished. It was only after the chocolate lava mountain he made was devoured did I remember that fact. Truth be told, I did not want to grow up yet. Because my birthday landed in the middle of the week this year, I retired early, close to 10 o'clock. "Dad," I began as I wrapped the covers around Maddelina and me, a yawn escaping my lips, "What am I going to be?"

He whispered it in my ear, but my thoughts became too muddled to comprehend what he said. I yawned again.

"Lydia," he called, just barely keeping my heavy-lidded eyes from shutting 'til dawn. He kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy."

"Sweet dreams."

My eyes closed off my cloudy mind in the thickest slumber I achieved ever. I should have been more wary.

* * *

My alarm clock did not go off when I reanimated. That was my first worry. My second was the sun, high in the sky, beaming on me, with Maddelina still asleep. The third was that I was not in my room. Sure, I was in a room identical in objects - television, wastebasket, personal computer - but the walls were foreign. There was a knock on the door.

"Lydia?" a woman asked, her voice soft. I could not recognize it. The door opened a crack. "Are you awake?"

I snapped my eyes shut, feigning sleep, but the bed creaked, giving me away. She opened the door, sternly saying, "Lydia."

A blue-haired woman in a red dress stood in the center of the room. She widened the gap in the curtains, allowing in more sunlight. "It's nearly noon. I've let you sleep long enough."

Maddelina smooshed her indigo self into the crook of my neck, tired and trying to escape the sun. I sat up, holding her. "Who are you? Where is this place?"

She did not answer immediately, instead, tossing a bag to me. "Get dressed," she ordered, "Then come downstairs for breakfast. We'll talk then. Bathroom's the first door on the right."

The woman left promptly. Maddelina hopped onto the sack, looking to me to open it since no Oddish has hands. I sighed, pulling on the zipper. Its contents, I recognized, vaguely. I could not remember where, but I had glanced on the outfit somewhere before: blue shirt, faded pink skirt, blue socks. That is going to annoy me, my faded memory. I checked the drawers to the dresser, finding no other article of clothing. Rolling my eyes, I slipped into the outfit and stumbled to the loo, washing my face and hands with Maddie on my heels.

It did not take long, a few minutes at most, for me to make myself look presentable. Down the carpeted stairway, along the cream walls, pictures of the woman and a boy hung. They were covered in dust and hidden in the shadows, as if the remnants of happier times were pain-inflicting poltergeists. The Pokémon by my feet noticed the solemnity in the atmosphere; she toned down some of her boisterous manner. To the left of the stairs was a fireplace mantle covered with photo frames. I shifted to the front of it, discovering a familiar face.

When I was younger, Dad toted around a camera, snapping pictures of Maddie and me. He had not taken any in recent years, and I did not know what he did with the film he developed. I figured he put it in a photo book. Yet here they were.

I turned away, following Maddelina to the dining room on the other side of the stairs. The woman placed a tray of toast on the table with a giant version of a Mime Jr. carrying a plate of scrambled eggs.

"Sit, sit," she ordered once she noticed me, gesturing to a chair. She took the seat across from me, our Pokémon on either side of us, a bowl of food for them both. The Oddish dug in immediately, the little traitor. My stomach, finding that my mind could not decide whether to trust the woman yet, growled, bringing to life its emptiness. Trusting her seemed to work out, for now.

She would not let me ask anything until I ate something. The woman filled her plate with the same food as I did, deeming it safe in my eyes. After a bite of the eggs, I questioned, "Who are you?"

She set down her silverware. "I am your mother."

I choked.

* * *

**Hi everyone! To my Royals who were wondering if I was going to abandon OWM as I accidently did to LPatTT, I'm not. This story, I'm writing out on paper when I can't get onto the computer for OWM. I will fix LPatTT in the future, so don't worry.**

**To any new fans, if you liked this story, or you like any of the other stories that I write, then you automatically become a Royal (fan of the stuff I make).**

**Reviews inspire me to write more and beg my mom to let me on the computer more often; please review, please.**

**More chapters to come. -Z**


	2. Chapter 2

Instantly, the woman's Pokémon reacted first by pounding on my back, dislodging the egg down my throat. I swallowed a mouthful of milk before I coughed, "Impossible. My mother died when I was born."

"Thank you, Mr. Mime," she said to the Pokémon. She knelt next to my chair, making our eyes level. "I'm sorry that so much of your life has been a lie. None of that should have happened."

"I want my dad," I whispered, incomprehensive. Obviously, a crazy lady kidnapped me. "I want to go home." She handed me two letters. One was open, yellow with age. The other, addressed to me. Both had Dad's handwriting. I opened my letter first.

_Lydia,_

_I wish I could have told you this in person. However, I write to you in haste. Your mother never died. Every time I look at you, I see more of her each day. The photo by my bed of the girl in pink and blue is your mother when she was your age._

_You also have a brother. He is a year older than you are. Recently, he went missing, and the organization that was after him is targeting you. Wherever you are, please, stay safe._

_The government here is corrupt. People on the inside like me are trying to fix it. Do _not _return home. You will only find misery here compared to what you have there. Find Delia Ketchum._

_I love you, my darling daughter,_

_Dad._

I flicked my eyes to the woman, but hers were downcast. I unfolded the older one.

_Darling Delia,_

_I miss you dearly. Each day, I see more of your personality coming from Lydia. It is getting harder for me to keep your existence and Red's a secret. She would love you both, but she is so young. Maybe one day. She is about to start school. How did you keep from worrying on Red's first day?_

_How is he, in school, at home, anywhere? I wish I could meet him. I got that picture you sent me. Is that a Polywag he is playing with?_

_It may take me longer to reach you. I love you._

_Love,_

_Ralph._

"But," I stuttered, "Why? I would've kept quiet."

"Or you would've been excited and told all of your friends at school. Too many questions would've been asked." She stood, taking my hand and leading me to the front door. She threw it open. Maddelina brushed against my leg. "To your country, this place is immoral, vulgar." I stepped into the sunlight. Children played with more Pokémon than the amount of people present. "A person can have more than one Pokémon as a friend for life. Here, Pokémon Trainers raise their Pokémon to challenge gyms, other trainers, and grow through battle."

"How can having Pokémon _fight_ be a good thing?" I asked, appalled. My eyes gazed upon a purple-haired girl with a Pidgey and a brunet with a Rattata.

"Pidgey, use tackle!" the girl shouted.

"Dodge it, then use tail whip!" the boy commanded.

My mom - my MOM - must have noticed where I looked. She gestured to them. "When Pokémon battle, they grow stronger and gain more trust with their trainer. Not all Pokémon grow up with people. Pokémon learn new moves and evolve."

She handed me a pair of tennis shoes. They were slightly battered, but comfortable.

"Sorry for the hand-me-downs. The clothes I ordered for you should come in later today. Right now, Professor Oak is waiting for us," she told me. Maddie hopped into my hands. Mr. Mime closed the door behind us and Mom led me to the Professor's Lab.

Once inside, a loud crash hastened our steps. An old man and a blond collected books that fell to the floor. Mom and I helped replace them, she asking, "Are you alright, Professor?"

"I'm fine," the old man replied when all the books were back in place. "Hello, Delia. Eh, who's this?"

Mom sweatdropped while I groaned. "This is Lydia," she explained, "My daughter."

"She's a month early. No matter." The Professor gestured to the boy. "This is Kyle Tryst. He is beginning his journey today."

Kyle nodded, his bangs falling into his eyes. To no one in particular, he questioned, "Is Lydia starting her journey today too?"

I froze. Why would I leave? I just met my mom and there are people searching for me. Dad wants me to be safe. Before I could answer, my mom said, "Tomorrow morning, that's why we're here now."

The Professor nodded, ignoring my wide eyes. "Very well," he amended. "There are three Pokémon here. They are held inside these Poké balls." As he mentioned, three were on a table, side by side. "When I was young, I was a serious Pokémon Trainer. But now, in my old age, I have only these three left. Both of you can have one. Go on, choose!"

"Ladies first," Kyle said, smiling.

The first Pokémon was a Bulbasaur. In front of each Poké ball was a card. This one stated, _Grass type. It's very easy to raise_.

Squirtle was the next one. _Water type. It's one worth raising._

The final one was Charmander. _Fire type. You should raise it patiently._

Immediately, I vetoed Bulbasaur. It was cute, but I already have a grass type. Squirtle could protect my Oddish from a fire type. Charmander could hurt Maddie by accident with the open flame at the end of its tail. I made my decision, announcing, "Squirtle. I pick Squirtle."

It came out of its Poké ball, energetic.

"Do you want to give it a nickname?" asked Professor Oak.

"Sure." I thought for a moment, searching my mind for a name for him. "George."

Kyle read the two cards left, choosing the Bulbasaur. He thanked the Professor, and then turned to me. "Do you want to have a Pokémon battle, your Squirtle against my Bulbasaur?"

I nodded hesitantly to the sound of Professor Oak moaning, "Oh for Pete's sake... Lydia, you've never had a Pokémon battle before, have you?"

I shook my head.

"A Pokémon battle is when Trainers pit their Pokémon against each other. The Trainer that makes the other Trainer's Pokémon faint by lowering their Health Points, or HP, to '0,' wins. But rather than talking about it, you'll learn more from experience. Try battling and see for yourself."

I thought of the words those two kids were using earlier. Prior to my speaking, Kyle shouted, "Bulbasaur, tackle!"

I copied him. "George, tackle!" The Bulbasaur hit first, but George rebounded fast.

Professor Oak interjected, "Inflicting damage on the foe is the key to any battle."

"Bulbasaur, tackle!" The grass type rammed its head into the water type, George copying on the Bulbasaur. Kyle met my eyes. "Quit mimicking me."

"Make me," I taunted. The two Pokémon tackled each other twice more before the Bulbasaur fainted.

"Bulbasaur, return," Kyle called. "Nice skills." He gave me $80.

"Thanks," I replied, hugging George. "You did great."

"Hm!" the Professor exclaimed. "Excellent! If you win, you can earn prize money, and your Pokémon will grow! Battle other Trainers and make your Pokémon strong!"

We nodded, making a silent vow to battle the other again.

**jakefan****, thanks and, tada!**

**Pete the Rock****, no, I am not including Digimon. I honestly had no clue about the Pokémon section of the Games category. Thank you for telling me that.**

**So, what does everyone think? See y'all later! -Z**


	3. Chapter 3

"Before you go, I have a request for you two." Professor Oak moved over to another table. "On the desk there is my invention, the Pokédex! It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught. It's a high-tech encyclopedia!

"Lydia and Kyle. Take these with you." He handed each of us a Pokédex. Mine was blue, accented with purple highlights. "You can't get detailed data on Pokémon by just seeing them. You must catch them to obtain complete data. So, here are some tools for catching wild Pokémon." Professor Oak placed five Poké balls in my hands, forcing me to attempt to balance them in my arms because I did not have a bag. "When a wild Pokémon appears, it's fair game. Just throw a Poké ball at it and try to catch it! This won't always work, however. A healthy Pokémon can escape. You have to be lucky!

"To make a complete guide on all the Pokémon in the world... That was my dream! But I'm too old. I can't get the job done. So, I want you two to fulfill my dream for me. Get moving, you two! This is a great undertaking in Pokémon history! Different people find different Pokémon." Geeze, Professor Oak can monologue.

"Thank you," Kyle and I said simultaneously. We looked at each other, a sly glint in his eye showing as he smirked. Mom led the way back, ah and I trailing behind. Just as he turned to take the fork in the road and start his adventure, Mom spun, asking, "Would you and Bulbasaur like to have lunch before you go?"

"I would enjoy that," he answered. Contentedly, he continued following. When we reached the front porch, hr froze. "You live _here_?"

"Yeah," I replied. "What's wrong?" The house was not disgusting, rotting, or even remotely dirty. It was quite quaint. There was no reason for him to be rude.

"Red _lived_ here!" He was in awe. Red? The letter and the pictures on the wall flashed to my mind. Oh. Him.

"So? He's my brother." I could not understand his fascination with my older sibling. I t was probably because he went missing. Mom came back outside, keeping both of us from commenting.

"What're you waiting for?" she rhetorically wondered. "Lunch isn't going to eat itself." I have no clue how someone could be hungry if he or she had brunch less than thirty minutes ago, but Maddelina was. She hopped out of my hands just as George popped out of his Poké ball, unbidden. The two scrambled inside at the sounds of my protest against their speediness. Kyle brought out Bulbasaur, he joining everyone else inside after me.

Somehow, the table was longer; it doubled in size. A place was set for everyone, including me. I quietly excused myself from the food, but stayed at the table for the conversation. Mainly, Kyle and Mom held it with my occasional input.

"It's so cool that you're Red's mom," Kyle exclaimed. "Was it obvious that he would become a great trainer?"

"He would've drowned twice, had Poli not evolved both times. He was rather clumsy and a bit impatient, so no; it wasn't that obvious to me." The answer seemed practiced to me.

"And you stayed out of the public eye! I mean, I didn't even know Red had a sister. I knew his dad wasn't in this Region, but I didn't know of Lydia," he relayed ecstatically.

"Yeah," Mom trailed off. A clock chimed, signaling the hour change to one o'clock. By that time, all of us finished eating. Kyle almost asked a follow-up question, but he froze.

"Is it really that late?" he pondered. "Thank you, Ms. Ketchum, for having me, and for lunch too. I have to get going now, if I want to reach Viridian City and have time to train Bulbasaur to take on Brock by nightfall. See you around, Lydia." He grabbed his yellow bag, whistled to his Pokémon to follow, and stepped into the town, continuing his first leg of his journey.

Mom and Mr. Mime cleaned up the table. I tried to help, but she shooed me to the living room, turning the television on to a program called "_Gym Leaders of Kanto_."

"_Most trainers challenge the rock-type user first because he is not the most challenging leader. Studies taken in the past year show that the other Gym Leaders in Kanto have a lesser percentage of challenger wins than Brock. In a recent interview, Pokémon Gym Leader Brock said that he already knows about the other Gym Leaders' strengths. He also acknowledged that rock types have many weaknesses, yet he still prefers them over any other type! That shows dedication. Challengers who defeat Brock win the Boulderbadge. Traded Pokémon up to level 20 will obey their trainers unquestioningly and Pokémon will be able to use the move Flash outside of battle. The first checkpoint of the Indigo League requires trainers to show this badge, so we recommend new trainers go after this first_," it narrated, moving on to a redheaded girl in a bathing suit. I zoned out to my own thoughts, not noticing Mom sit on the couch with me. She saw the program prior to muting it for me.

"Lydia," she started, placing a hand on my shoulder, "You can ask me anything."

I glanced at her, shifting from my hunched state. Asked I, "What are Gym Leaders?"

"Well..." she lost herself in thought, wondering where to begin. "Pokémon Trainers who wish to become Masters challenge places called 'gyms' to see how strong they are. Many Trainers are in the gym, and a Pokémon Trainer has to defeat the strongest one, the Gym Leader, in order to say that he or she is the strongest and to win the badge.

"There are eight gyms in Kanto, subsequently, eight badges. Get all eight badges, and you can challenge the four strongest Trainers of the Region to a battle, in our case, the League Brains of the Indigo Plateau. After the challenger defeats them, only one person is left, the Champion. The battles are tough; very few people ever gain all eight badges. Even less are able to triumph over the Elite Four. Red said he'd do that before you arrived."

I was silent, reviewing this information. The first gym was a rock-type. Rocks are weak to water-, grass-, and fighting-types. I could win the first badge easily, I thought before I shook my head. Daddy wanted me to stay safe. Venturing into the unknown is _not_ safe. The thought lingered, though. "What happened to Red?"

"Three weeks ago, he went on his journey. He said he would mail me each day, and he did, for two weeks. Last I heard, he was in Celadon City. Blue, Oak's grandson, couldn't find him. We even contacted Erika, but he hadn't challenged her yet."

I was silent as this information sank in my mind. Suddenly, something clicked in my head. She said "before you arrived." Professor Oak also mentioned me being a month early. "Was I," I stumbled mentally as I spoke, "Was I supposed to be here? I mean - was I expected? Not now, but later, soon."

She looked away. The silence that followed was thick enough that a knife would have difficulty cutting through it. Maddelina hopped into my arms, trying to nap away an afternoon feast. After a while, my mother nodded. George clamored onto the couch.

"Why?" I questioned. "I was in no danger there." Everything could have been perfect, peaceful. Sure, Daddy said the Government was corrupt, but he would have protected me.

"That's where you're wrong. There will be an uprising when more people know of what lies outside their country. The Government would be the first place they would attack," she said sadly. "He was going to send you here after your schooling ended. He said he would tell you about us then. I'm sorry, honey." She wiped a hand across my face. Only then did I realize I was crying.

"What we need you to do," she continued, holding my face, "Is go on a journey. On that journey, you will become stronger. You'll be strong enough to protect yourself. Stronger than you'd be here. Safer too. Eventually, those people will find out you aren't with your father. Keep moving and you'll be safe. Find Red if you can. Okay?" The tears silently streaming down her face made every word seem weightier. I nodded as she pulled me into a hug and we squished Maddelina between us. I cried. It felt good to cry, not having done it in a while.

The Pokémon, however, squirmed about in the tight embrace until Mom pulled away with the excuse of having to clean something. I turned the volume back on, and the program continued with a Gym Leader called, "Lieutenant Surge."

"_7 foot tall veteran of the war, Lt. Surge is a user of electric types..._"

The day progressed from there with five more Gym Leaders, the eighteen Pokémon types - three I was not familiar with (Fairy, Ghost, and Dragon) - with their strengths and weaknesses (for three-and-a-half hours), and an hour-long continuation of a series on the different myths of each Region, in this case, Johto's Ho-oh and Lugia. Right as six o'clock rolled around, the doorbell rang. Mom answered it, brought a box inside, and ushered me to the table. We ate in silence, not because we had nothing to say, but because we did not need to speak. My mind was preoccupied with the gyms along the journey.

Once the single-course meal concluded, I was sent to my room to make sure my new clothes fit right. One long-sleeved, blue v-neck, a deep mauve mini-skirt, two navy blue, knee-high socks, and a pair of black tennis shoes later, I spun in the mirror. Blue and purple must be the fashion trend right now, I thought. Placing a matching purple hat on my head and a gray bag on my shoulder, I marched downstairs. Mom gasped when I stepped into the living room. She fiddled with my hair and clipped a belt around my waist for carrying my party Pokémon. Finished, she stepped back, fanned her eyes to keep tears from falling, and took a picture of me, the flash causing temporary blindness.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "It's perfect! Now go get changed." Softly smiling at her eccentricity, I grabbed my pajamas and stepped into the shower. It was not even close to eight when I got out. To pass the time, the five of us watched television 'til some time after ten.

Sleep deserted me that night due to a building of anxiety. Maddelina and George caught their Zz's easily, the former on my pillow and the latter at the foot of my bed. My mind wandered. Kyle freaked when I mentioned Red. Best not to do that in the future. Eventually, my consciousness shifted. The visions that plagued me as I fraughtfully dreamed held me through the night in a waking slumber.

**Can I get a review? Anyone wondering why I haven't updated in a while to all of my stories, it's because it rained at least three times a day for the past month. -Z**


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, my dreams faded in a blur, though they did shake me awake with a jolt. Maddelina growled at me when I shoved the pillow she slept on off the bed out of reflex. George was nowhere in sight. I did not worry about it; rather, I went to the bathroom and got dressed, heading downstairs after. George was at the table, devouring a mountain. Maddie followed suit, whereas I went to Mom, finding her with my bag.

At the sound of my footsteps, she set it on the couch. With her back to me, she said, "Your father would be proud. Go, eat."

Though she did not see it, I nodded, ingesting two pancakes and a handful of bacon whence I returned to the dining room. Breakfast flew by. Before I knew it, Maddelina and George were safely in their Poké balls, my bag hung from my shoulder, and Mom fiddled with my hat, speaking face to face with me for the last time. "Write to me everyday, promise? I don't want to lose you too."

"I will," I answered.

"I put an extra change of clothes in there for you. It doesn't get cold, so you shouldn't need any coats or scarves-"

"Mom," I tried to interject, failing.

"You have a blanket in there if you need to sleep outside, but there's always room at night at the Pokémon Centers. They also give Trainers and their Pokémon food too-"

"Mom."

"And you have a Town Map of Kanto in case you get lost-"

"Mom!" She stopped speaking. "Thank you." I hugged her. "I love you."

She kissed my forehead. Pulling away, she placed two fingerless gloves that matched my socks in my hands. Accented purple, the cuffs had a portion of the backs and the area over each knuckle was gone.

"I love you too," she returned as I slipped them on. "Stay safe." Mom waved me off, watching me slip into the distance of Route 1 and the Kanto Region.

My first goal was, according to the map, Viridian City. Immediately after I stepped into the grass, a violet and white mouse appeared. It bared its fangs and drew up on its haunches across from me.

"Let's go! George!" I threw his Poké ball in the air. It popped open with a flash of red, the Squirtle materializing. He faced the other Pokémon, awaiting my command. "Tackle!"

George rammed his body into the Rattata. He knocked it backwards, it shaking off the hit and retaliating with a tackle.

"Again," I called. This time, though, the smaller attacked first. It pushed George to the ground. He staggered while he slowly stood and attacked once more.

"One more time!" The two rammed each other, George forcing the other to stumble. I took a Poké ball from my bag's side-pocket. My thumb brushed the button, making it grow from between my two fingers to my whole palm. I threw the red and white orb, bonking it on the tail. It was absorbed in red light, shook the Poké ball thrice, and went still with a click. "Yes!"

The Pokédex glowed, saying, "_Its fangs are long and very sharp. They grow continuously, so it gnaws on hard things to whittle them down._"

"So," I murmured to the Poké ball, "Welcome to the team, Reyna." I clipped her to my belt, continuing along the way after returning George. Shortly thereafter, I came across a clerk of some building called the Pokémon Mart. He handed me a potion and I moved on through the grass. Another Rattata crossed my path, George easily dispatching it.

For fifteen minutes, Rattata after Rattata appeared. George easily took them down, but Maddie had more trouble. The city was in my sight when a wild Pidgey swooped down too close to my head. Obviously, it was a Flying-type; therefore, Maddie could be seriously injured. She only knows Absorb and Sweet Scent.

George, however, learned bubble, giving the move a type advantage. I sent him forth. The Pidgey rammed its side at George's shell before I commanded, "Bubble," a wave of bubbles flowing from his mouth. The bird Pokémon squawked prior to tackling again.

"Bubble, once more!" The move hit head-on, knocking it back. I smirked, whispering as I plucked another Poké ball from the pocket, "Perfect." I threw it, clipping the bird's wing. With similar success as earlier, my Pokédex responded, "_Does not like to fight. It hides in tall grass and so on, foraging for food such as small bugs._"

"Welcome, Peter," I whispered, clipping him to my belt too. I left the grass for the dandy road, walking with the Squirtle to a red-roofed building advertising healing Pokémon. It was the Pokémon Center Mom raved about. The door slid aside, revealing a pink-haired woman in a white uniform behind a counter beside a machine. As I neared, she cheerfully announced, "Welcome to our Pokémon Center! Would you like me to heal your Pokémon back to perfect health?"

George popped back into his Poké ball and I handed them to her. "Sure, thanks."

"Okay," she smiled, "I'll take your Pokémon for a few seconds." She placed them on the machine. The rectangular contraption glowed and blinked with a monitor hanging on the wall. Once it stopped, she told me, "Thank you for waiting. We've restored your Pokémon to full health." She gave me the Poké balls. "We hope to see you again!"

A man stepped up to me, gesturing to a computer to the right of the desk. With a hearty laugh, he said, "Please feel free to use that PC in the corner. The receptionist told me so. It's so kind of her! Just wave your Trainer Card under the scanner." I stuttered a word of gratitude, hard to breathe since he clapped me on the center of my back.

The PC was about my height, the screen above a hand's-width tall space. I took my Trainer Card from the wallet that came with my bag and held it under the soft red glow. Three options aside from logging off touched the screen: Someone's PC, My PC, and Professor Oak's PC. My face scrunched in confusion. Why was there more than one?

I tapped on "Someone's PC." In response, the machine added the words, "_Pokémon_ _Storage System opened_." With my following options, I chose to deposit Reyna simply because she is a Normal-type and the three-and-a-half-hour Poké Dude show still progressed in my mind.

Skipping back to the original PCs, My PC was empty, and Professor Oak's PC took me to a direct chat video, mainly about my Pokédex. His advice to me was, "You sill have lots to do. Go into every patch of grass you see and look for Pokémon!" I logged off, heading south out of the City. I can explore later; it is not going anywhere.

I searched for some hours, but I only found Pidgey and Rattata. On the bright side, Peter learned Gust and Quick Attack, George learned Water Gun and Withdraw, and Maddie learned Acid, PoisonPowder, and Stun Spore. Around one o'clock, our stomachs growled ferociously. Famished, we returned to the Pokémon Center.

Nurse Joy, I later found out, led us down a hallway to a cafeteria abundant in type-specific Pokémon food and people food. Given that I had a Trainer Card, my expenses were already taken care of. The three Pokémon in my charge ate their share. It came as no surprise to me that they finished before I did. Packing the food I could and tossing the remnants, I cleared the table of any remaining crumbs. Thanking Nurse Joy, we exited the building.

Peter led the exploration first, Maddie on my hat as George and I raced after the Pidgey. He flew diagonal to the Pokémon Mart, a blue roofed building. Landing on my shoulder, we entered. Though it was a convenience store, it was not really stocked with anything I absolutely needed, but I bought some Poké balls anyway.

George forged ahead next, running past a school and small residential area. An elderly man halted our escapades, noting my Pokédex. "Ah, so you're working on your Pokédex," he commented. "Then let me give you a word of advice. Whenever you catch a Pokémon, the Pokédex automatically updates its data. ...You don't know how to catch a Pokémon?"

"But sir, I already have-" He seemed not to hear me. Or see my Pokémon for that matter.

"I suppose I had better show you then!"

"That really isn't necessary," I tried to explain. He seemed to be a trifle deaf. He hobbled to some grass, finding and catching a Weedle.

"There!" he exclaimed. "Now tell me, that was educational, was it not?" I did not even bother to answer. "And here, take this too." He gave me a portable, yellow, Teachy TV. "If there's something you don't understand, watch that. It will teach you about the basics of being a Pokémon Trainer."

"Will do, thanks," I replied as he let us pass. We found our way to the graying gym. Of all the Gym Leaders, the Leader of this gym is known the least. The building is almost never open. Some people believe that because this is the hardest gym, the Leader keeps the doors closed due to a lack of any strong enough trainers. Grime coated the windows of the door. Seeing enough, each returned to their respectful balls and I headed west, if only to see what the Frontier Gates looked like.

In the grass surrounding the way, I found not only Rattata, but Mankey and Spearow too. I caught one each of the latter two for Professor Oak, Clove and Kelsey respectively. Likewise, the Pokédex data for Mankey became, "_Light and agile on its feet, and ferocious in temperament. When angered, it flies into an uncontrollable frenzy,_" and Spearow's information turned to, "_It busily flits around here and there. Even if it is frail, it can be a tough foe that uses Mirror Move_." I sent Kelsey to the Pokémon Storage System and proceeded to train Clove, leveling her up and teaching her Low Kick and Karate Chop in addition to the move Scratch, which she already knew.

Back in Viridian City, I healed my Pokémon one last time, and traversed north to Route 2. By this point, I began to realize that Rattata are everywhere. What lay ahead of me, I saw in the map, was a forest. The only forest in Kanto, Viridian Forest was a maze. Leaving the building that marked one end of the forest, I went in the opening fork, stumbling upon a Pikachu in the grass.

With some difficulty, and Maddelina poisoning the Pokémon, I caught her, the Dex glowing, "_It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs_." My team total became five when I clipped Meghan to my belt. Afterwards, I caught Katsa the Caterpie - "_It is covered with a green skin. When it grows, it sheds the skin, covers itself with silk, and becomes a cocoon._" - and Finn the Weedle - "_Often found in forests and grasslands. It has a sharp, toxic barb around two inches on top of its head._" Finn's Poké ball shrunk to the size of an unused Poké ball, except it was slightly larger and could not open at the click of a button.

By this point in time, I was out of Poké balls (I had to use two to catch Meghan). No matter, I thought. My Pokémon and I can always return later. A wall of trees blocked my path, forcing me to turn away through a new clearing. I ended up back at the beginning. Turning down the right lane, I found that Meghan was an adept battler, even if she only knew Thundershock and Grow.

Meandering along, a boy with a net called to me, "Hey! You have Pokémon! Come on! Let's battle 'em!" Bug Catcher Rick was officially the first person to challenge me to a battle, not counting Kyle. Meghan came out of her Poké ball at the same time as Rick's Weedle.

"Thundershock!" I commanded, watching a direct hit. In retaliation, Rick's Weedle used String Shot, slowing down my Pikachu.

"Use Thundershock again!" I cried. The Weedle was faster with another onslaught of String Shot. The battle commenced like that until Meghan's yellow charges took down her opponent. Rick sent out a Caterpie then.

"Stay strong," I encouraged as the bug attacked first. "Thundershock!" The Caterpie tackled after Meghan's move hit, she shocking him once more. With one final blow, covered in sticky webbing, the Pikachu took down the Bug-type, learning Tail Whip while doing it.

"No!" Rick exclaimed, handing over $72. "Caterpie can't hack it!" Bidding him adieu, I returned Meghan and skirted around the higher grass, directly into my next battle with Bug Catcher Doug. He had two Weedle and a Kakuna, all dispatched by Meghan and Peter, but Meghan was poisoned in the first round, later cured with an Antidote.

George took over as the first Pokémon of my party, giving Meghan a break. Just in time too, for Bug Catcher Anthony wanted a battle. He did so with two Caterpie, knocked out in one move each! George growled happily whence the battle ended. He was not without anything to do for long, Charlie the Bug Catcher sent out Metapod along the way, followed up by a Caterpie and another Metapod.

After the battle, a bright white light enveloped George. It died down, showing his form changed.

"Wartortle!" he cried. I brought the Dex out, new data coming to life as it scanned him. The entry was by Squirtle. "_This Pokémon is very popular as a pet. Its fur-covered tail is a symbol of its longevity_." He was taller than my waist now. I knelt down and hugged him. I would not be able to pick him up anymore, he understood.

Returning to his Poké ball, we moved on, backtracking a few times because the trees turned me around. Spotting the opposite building that signified the end of the forest, I rushed forward, caught in a battle with Bug Catcher Sammy. George defeated his Weedle with Water Gun quickly.

Outside the gates, I discovered no new Pokémon, but Clove did get in some extra training with Maddie. Pewter City had lovely cobblestone roads the shade of silver. Only now did I realize that my escapades in the forest proceeded longer than I thought; it was after five o'clock, according to the Pokémon Center. Too late to challenge Brock, it seemed. There was still daylight, therefore, a proper time to continue training; we were not anywhere near overcoming Brock.

Healing my Pokémon and putting Finn in the Storage System, I went back out to the woods. Katsa stayed with my team since I was curious about her evolution. Katsa changed first at level seven, younger than the others did. She became a Metapod, the data turning to, "_Even though it is encased in a sturdy shell, the body inside is tender. It can't withstand a harsh attack_." I did not have to wait too long for her to evolve again. Light enveloped her once more soon after, a loud crack resounding in the area. Out from her casing, she resembled a large butterfly with huge, multi-faceted eyes. She was a purple Butterfree ("_The wings are protected by rain-repellent dust. As a result, this Pokémon can fly about even in rain_."), and quite lovely too. Since Weedle's entry was the next in numerical order, I took that to mean that Katsa would not evolve anymore.

Back at the Pokémon Center, I exchanged Katsa for Finn, keeping up with training my team. By the time the sun set, Finn had not evolved. No matter. Finn returned to the PC box, we ate a final meal for today, and retired to a vacant room. After we battle Brock, I thought, I want to look around.

In the room, there were two bunk beds. Clove and Meghan chose a top bunk each, Peter roosted on a windowsill, George gained his own bed, and Maddelina slept with me. Writing my letter, I went to bed after they did.

_Dear Mom,_

_I made it to Pewter City. I caught a bunch of Pokémon too. With me are a Pidgey, Pikachu, and Mankey, Peter, Meghan, and Clove, respectively. George evolved today, I can't pick him up anymore. Tomorrow, I'm going to go after Brock. There hasn't been any sign of Red or people coming after me. Good night._

_Love,_

_Lydia._

I crept downstairs, logging into my Mailbox. I put the letter in and sent it off, heading back to my room.

**So, here's an update. May I please have a review for my longest chapter yet? -Z**


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